VOR: Three in a row—Sailing news from Australia and round the world

Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain finishes first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race) - Volvo Ocean Race - Leg 3B finish Sanya, China  Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

Offshore-sailing circles were abuzz this weekend with news of skipper Iker Martinez and his Telefonica teammates' third-straight offshore leg win in the ongoing Volvo Ocean Race (VOR). The team is the first to have claimed this hat-trick honour in the past 22 years of race history, making the reward for all their hard work that much sweeter.

'It's one of the toughest legs I've done,' reported Andrew Cape, Telefonica's navigator. 'Mentally it was very difficult, tactically very difficult. Physically it wasn't as tough as a long southern ocean leg but mentally it was really hard.' Crossing the line in Telefonica's wake was Groupama, followed by Emirates Team New Zealand's Camper. Puma Ocean Racing came in a disappointing fourth after an easterly hitch failed to play out, followed by Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Team Sanya.

We are very much looking forward to the next leg. Guy Nowell of Sail-World Asia will be aboard Camper in Sanya as the fkleet prepares for the leg to Auckland and Richard Gladwell from Sail-World New Zealand will be on the water to see the fleet arrive.

Also offshore related, things are getting a bit rough in the Global Ocean Race where the fleet has been taking a multi-day upwind pounding. Sadly, this thrashing claimed the father-and-son team of Ross and Campbell Field aboard Buckley Systems, as massive conditions, equipment breakage and human injury exacted a far higher toll than expected, and the two plotted a course for dry land.

Buckley Systems was leading the Global Ocean Race at the time of the incident.  Ivor Wilkins/Offshore Images

The same sad fate befell Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron aboard Campagne de France, who had been sitting in second place prior to the thrashing, which was described as Force 8-9 winds accompanied by massive seas. This recent attrition whittles the fleet down to three strong, all of whom are pressing deeper into the challenging leg that will carry the fleet from Wellington, New Zealand to Punta del Este, Uruguay. More, inside.

In Cup circles, residents of Auckland, New Zealand were recently given front-row seats to watch their hometown Emirates Team New Zealand squad engaging in a little bit of friendly sparing against the Italian-flagged Luna Rossa.

Richard Gladwell will be keeping us up to speed on the action.

While the two teams enjoy an unprecedented friendly relationship, the four races were notable for being one of the few times that the newly minted Italian-backed team has sailed their fully logoed, wingsail-powered AC45 catamaran.

ETNZ-Prada-050212 (3) - Luna Rossa and Emirates Team NZ - Practice Racing, Waitemata Harbour  Richard Gladwell

Moreover, it was also one of the first times that the two teams have flown their wingsail extensions, which were developed to add punch in lighter airs. While beginner's luck evaded the Italians in all four races, there's no doubt that that both teams gained valuable mileage and experience with their wingsail extensions thanks to their copasetic relationship.

We have all the news from the Australian scene and we will be on the water this weekend off Pittwater for the Etchells Pre-Worlds and then next week when around 75 Etchells, of whom 60 will be Australian teams race for the 2012 Etchells World Championships.

More news from the Australian scene during the week.

18ft Skiffs Australian Championship Race 5 Video Bob Killick, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers dominated the 18ft Skiffs Australian Championship contested on Sydney Harbour.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Telefonica takes Leg 3 win - Live Coverage Volvo Ocean Race, Team Telefónica became the first team to win the first three legs of a Volvo Ocean Race in 22 years as they swept to glory in Leg 3 from Abu Dhabi to Sanya. Not since Sir Peter Blake's Steinlager 2 made a clean sweep of all four legs of the 1989-90 edition of the Whitbread Round the World Race has the event seen such success.... [more] Share this story

Blockbuster Weekend at Port Dalrympal YC wrap up Manika Dadson, Go Sailing Blockbuster Weekend - Port Dalrymple's Greg Rowsell and Penelope Hextall battled hard in tough conditions to win the Ns14 class at Beauty Point yesterday. The class was closely contested by Dennis Leitch and Blake Nicholson who finished two points behind Rowsell and Hextall.... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race Class40 Phesheya-Racing battered Oliver Dewar, Global Ocean Race - Throughout Sunday, thoughts of competitive racing were temporarily suspended for one of the Class40s in the Southern Ocean as the South African team on Phesheya-Racing was forced to heave-to in strong headwinds and confused seas. Furthest south at 48 degrees leading the trio, Conrad Colman and Adrian Kuttel missed the worst of the gale with Cessna Citation... [more] Share this story

Sailing Arabia The Tour - Caffari and crew undergo intense training Nicky Moore, Sailing Arabia The Tour - Dee Caffari and her all-women sailing crew have just finished their second phase of training for the event. As part of the crew's preparation for Sailing Arabia – The Tour, an offshore sailing event based on Le Tour de France a la Voile, the all–female team have been undertaking some intense sail training in Oman, as they prepare to go head-to-head with eight other profe... [more] Share this story

Sail Auckland 2012's Penultimate race day Kristine Lederis, Just one day remains for Sail Auckland 2012, New Zealand's premier Olympic and Paralympic class regatta. Today saw slightly lighter winds and choppy water on most courses due to the influx of Waitangi Day holiday goers enjoying some time on the Waitemata Harbour.... [more] Share this story

Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Format Trials in Santander ISAF, Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Format Trials evaluation event is to be held in Santander, Spain from 21 to 25 March 2012 at The Prince Felipe High Performance Centre which is also host to the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships. In May 2011 ISAF Council selected Windsurfing and/or Kiteboarding as a possible event for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet divide Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - There has been a division in the fleet as the ten 68-foot yachts navigate through the South China Sea. While Gold Coast Australia narrowly holds on to their lead, putting in their first tack since race start early this morning the trio of three yachts to the south east have successfully utilised the local funnelling conditions... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Volunteers Oversubscribed for Auckland Stopover! Penny Dain, Hundreds of applicants have signed up as volunteers for next month's Auckland Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race and the organisers have now closed volunteer registration. 'Just under 500 volunteers have registered on the database and we've been blown away by the quality and commitment,' says Port Director Tom Mayo... [more] Share this story

Inaugural Melges 32 Gosford Regatta Tracey Walters, The next few months are booked out with regatta racing for the highly competitive Australian Melges 32 fleet. Kicking off the racing was last weekend's inaugural Gosford Regatta, hosted by Gosford Sailing Club.... [more] Share this story

174th Royal Hobart Regatta preview - Missing trophy returns Peter Campbell, The 174th edition of the Royal Hobart Regatta is set to get underway next Monday with the skipper of the winning yacht this year be able to accept the genuine Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, now that it has been recovered after it ‘went missing' for several years.... [more] Share this story

Menelaus continues to record impressive results with Treasure V111 Ian Grant, Treasure V111, the Riechel /Pugh 36 skippered by Whitsunday Sailing Club's Harold Menelaus, continues to record impressive results; suggesting they have the potential to be a front runner for the club championship. The ‘Old Salt' Harold Menelaus has owned and raced a number of well prepared yachts during his career of ocean racing at two of Queensland's most ideal sailing destinations... [more] Share this story

Gold Coast to Brisbane all set for February 25 start Kelvin Holdt, The Gold Coast to Brisbane race is deemed 'The Great Race' and is Australia's most entertaining and challenging marathon for off the beach dinghies and catamarans. The event is set to offer a prize pool that includes $5000 in cash and a beachside holiday retreat.... [more] Share this story

Festival of Sails 2012 images by Guido Brandt Guido Brandt images, Festival of Sails 2012 images by photographer Guido Brandt.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Images from the return home for Sanya Volvo Ocean Race, Local crew member, Teng, better known as Tiger, was draped in a Chinese flag as he led Mike Sanderson's men across the line in the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race Leg 3 finish, into the team's home port at 12:35:17 UTC, bringing to an end 14 days of gruelling racing in Leg 3 Stage 2 from the Maldives.... [more] Share this story

Women's Match Race Country Qualifier - Final spots claimed WIMRA, At the 2012 Women's Match Racing International Country Olympic Qualifying Regatta, the final day of racing left one major question to be answered: Who will be the last country to qualify for a spot in the 2012 Women's Match Racing Event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London?... [more] Share this story

blokart World Championships 2012 entries closing soon Ross Vickers, Entries are closing in four weeks time for the blokart World Championships 2012, to be held at Ivanpah dry lake, USA. With over 130 entrants so far, the racing is set showcase competitive blokart sailing at its best. Competitors from thirteen countries will compete alongside 33 US sailors for eight world titles. Racing is conducted in two classes, further broken in to four weight divisions.... [more] Share this story

ADCO announced as new lead sponsor for Mooloolaba Etchells Winters Tracey Johnstone, ADCO Constructions, a national commercial constructions company with significant projects on the Sunshine Coast, is the new lead sponsor of the Etchells Australasian Winter Championship 2012 to be held off Mooloolaba on seventh to 10th June.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Impressive Media and Readership for Leg 1 Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race organisers have released the Media and readership statistics for the first leg of the nine leg race. As expected the event compares more than favourably with the America's Cup World Series which ran its San Diego event around the same time as the start of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante.... [more] Share this story

Mt Gay Rum 2012 Neptune Regatta -The Riau Islands have moved Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia, Boats will have to deal with the wind shifts that go with inter-island sailing, and the thoroughly complicated currents that develop when the tide tries to push the China Sea into the Indian Ocean (and back again) twice a day. Last year one particularly gnarly patch of sea, riddled with cross currents and tidal overfalls, was immediately named ‘The Cauldron', and with good reason.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Race fleet prepare for challenging conditions Heather Ewing, Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race fleet are well aware of what lies ahead on this stage from Singapore to Qingdao. While the majority of the world's longest yacht race follows the prevailing winds, this section of the 40,000-mile course is upwind, meaning the crews will be facing life at an angle for the next two and a half weeks.... [more] Share this story

Women's Match Race Country Qualifier – Teams fight for final spots WIMRA, Women's Match Race Country Qualifier – Emotions ran high on the water as Olympic dreams came true for some and ended for others. Finland and Spain will be going to the Olympics in Women's Match Racing and Germany and Slovenia will not. One more place remains to be decided on Sunday.... [more] Share this story

Hello sunshine, my old friend John Curnow, Seems like a lot of places North of the divide have not seen much of you lately. Indeed our hearts go out to all the people in some of the Northern reaches of our country, who have seen nothing but water for a very long time. Down South, however, it has been gleaming of late, on the whole and Round Four of the 2011/12 Club Marine Series on Melbourne's Port Phillip, certainly had plenty on display.... [more] Share this story

18ft Skiffs Australian Championship final on Sydney Harbour Frank Quealey, 18ft Skiffs Australian Championship – With the Australian Championship title already won by the Thurlow Fisher Lawyers team of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas, today's last race of the event became more a final hit out for the upcoming Giltinan Championship from 17 February. And what a race it was as the Gotta Love It 7 team put on an awesome display to defeat Thurlow Fisher Lawyers... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Emirates TNZ and Luna Rossa race in Auckland + Video Richard Gladwell, Auckland's America's Cup fans got the chance, today, to see what they have missed, with the no-show of an expected event in the America's Cup World Series. On the inner harbour course, familiar to many as a match racing track, bounded on its southern side by a number of vantage points, spectators got the chance to view at first hand, the two Auckland based America's Cup teams going head to head... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Dalton claims expense at root of low challenger numbers Sail-World, Contrary to claims elsewhere, Emirates Team NZ CEO, Grant Dalton is reported in the Herald on Sunday as saying that expense is the main reason there are so few challengers in the next America's Cup and not the oft-blamed world economy. Earlier in the week, America's Cup organisers were keen to damp down comments by America's Cup Regatta Management's Regatta Director, Iain Murray... [more] Share this story

Port Hacking Race - Provisional win for About Time Di Pearson, The Port Hacking Race held today is the third last race of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Ocean Pointscore Series (OPS) which commenced on 10 September 2011 and consists of 10 races. Sydney yachtsman Julian Farren-Price has provisionally taken out the Port Hacking Race, sailed in light south-westerly breezes.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Screaming towards the Sanya finish Volvo Ocean Race, At 2200 UTC tonight, in the Volvo Ocean Race, the first four boats racing in Leg 3 Stage 2 were screaming towards the Sanya finish in a high-speed chase led by Iker Martinez and Team Telefónica. Groupama sailing team were holding on to second place, 30.20 nautical miles (nm) behind.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup - Images of Artemis Racing on the water with two AC45s Sander van der Borch, Artemis Racing began an intense two-boat training session earlier this week in Valencia, following the acquisition of a second AC45 last month. Photographer Sander van der Borch shares with us this gallery of images of Artemis Racing on the water.... [more] Share this story

If you liked this newsletter, do nothing, we will send you another ..
 Naa, please don't send me another.